• Famous for its damaged yet spectacular belongings from the mediaeval Hindu kingdom, Hampi is famous as a UNESCO world heritage site. And it will soon be converted into one of the iconic tourist destinations of India. The government of India aims to develop the city and equip it with improved facilities for visitors in order to protect the remaining architecture of the city from offbeat tourism. This initiative by the government is indeed worthy of appreciation.
• The monuments and monolithic sculptures at Hampi were constructed during the time of the Vijayanagar Empire. The temples and other religious places display evidence of true craftsmanship and culture of that period.
• The architecture of the city displays a Hindu culture that talks of the splendour and magnanimous men of the Vijayanagar Empire. The city carries a historical significance not only through its architecture and culture but also through its landscape that attracts tourists from across the world.
• Hampi is a small town situated in Hospet taluk of the Vijayanagar district of Karnataka. Stationed along the Tungabhadra River, near the border of Andhra Pradesh. The first civilisation in Hampi belongs to the 1^st century AD. It was found along with some historical Buddhist sites of that time. Founded by two brother kings Harihar and Bukka in 1336 Vijayanagar became one of the largest Hindu empire in India in opposition to the Islamic sultanate in southern India. Krishnadevaraya is the most remarkable name in the history of Hampi who ruled the majority of the Peninsular region in southern India. It is a site that talks of the grandeur of the empire, through its concrete establishments along with the concentric lines of fortifications that guarded the city against enemies.
• The army of Vijayanagar was huge and strong. Along with political and architectural strength, the kingdom also flourished through trade in cotton and spices so much so that it became the centre of trade in the entire southern region. However, the glory culminated with the death of Krishnadevarya and the combined armies of 5 neighbourhood states conquered the Hampi in 1565.

Famous Sites of Hampi

This temple town of India has innumerable tourist attractions including the following:

Virupaksha Temple

• Dedicated to Lord Virupaksha, an avatar of Shiva, the temple was constructed by Lakkan Dandesha, a commander under Deva Raya II of the Vijayanagara Empire. Its dynamism never fails to attract tourists from all over the world.
• The temple has inscriptions on Lord Shiva engraved in the 9th century. The Virupaksha-Pampa retreat is a part of this place. It was initially a small shrine that was later developed during the reign of Deva Raya II. It is a holy place and the end of the dynasty never restricted the worshippers from visiting the site. It has a hall for worship with numerous pillars and 3 antechambers (rooms connected to the main hall). It has some courtyards, small temples and a pillared monastery. It has some spectacular gateways, the greatest one is nine-tiered and 50m in length! It has multi-storey gopurams (a monumental tower at the entrance of any Hindu temple; It is usually a part of south Indian architecture) that make it an elevated site of worship.
• Even after its initial establishment, the temple is known to have certain additions like the main pillared hall which was added by Krishnadevaraya. The inscriptions pay testimony to his contributions. There are also various unkempt Mandapas (pillared halls which are used for rituals in Hindu temples) interlined with an ancient marketplace in front of the temple.

Vijaya-Vittala Temple

• It is one of the largest and most magnificent temples in Hampi. It is located on the banks of the Tungabhadra River. The temple has remarkable and flabbergasting musical pillars that even amazed the Britishers. The chariots that come to mind while talking of Hampi are also a part of the Vittala temple.
• The temple was built in the 15th century by King Devaraya II which was further expanded and enhanced by Krishnadevaraya. This temple is devoted to Lord Vittala, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The legend behind this temple says that it was the abode of Lord Vishnu. But Lord Vishnu returned to live a humble life leaving the grand temple behind. It is one of the grandest of all the architecture in Hampi. It was built in the Dravidian style of architecture. It initially had an enclosed Mandapa and later an open Mandapa was added by Krishnadevaraya.
• The temple has a huge area that is encircled by elevated compound walls and three ascending gateways. It has several halls, mausolea (large rooms) and gazebos (pavilions) placed inside it, all of them constructed from stones.
• The most prominent among these edifices are the Devi shrine, main hall, Ranga Mandapa, marriage hall, Utsava Mandapa and the most remarkable stone chariot.

Monolithic Bull

• The Monolith Bull, also known as the Nandi Bull, is an outstanding element of archaic style that is lodged in a two-storey bower (bower is a shady place with open sides). This massive configuration, considered the vehicle of Lord Shiva, is located exactly opposite the Virupaksha Temple.
• This Monolithic Bull with its dilapidated structure demonstrates a rough technique of carving. The statue is surrounded by huge pillars and makes for an attractive tourist destination.

Elephant Stables

• The Elephant Stables is amongst some of the places in Hampi that have suffered little dilapidation with the passage of time. It is a lengthy building with chambers where royal elephants were held during the reign. There are a total of 11 chambers and it somewhat reflects the architecture of the temples but has domes that reflect the Islamic style of architecture.

Lotus Mahal

• This Lotus Mahal is located within the Zanana enclosure, which was used by the women of the Vijayanagara Dynasty. Its design resembles that of a lotus. It is also called the Kamal Mahal or Chitragani Mahal. It is also one of those monuments of the city that bears minimal damage. Women in the Zenana enclosure enjoyed recreational activities and gathered together to spend leisurely time. It also served as a council chamber for kings and ministers as marked by some maps from the 18th century. It is said that the Queen of Krishna Deva Raya used to spend most of the time seeking pleasure and peace in the Zanana enclosure. The monument displays a high degree of perfection in architecture and style.

Pushkarani

• Pushkaranis are an important part of Hampi. They are sacred tanks that display the ancient town planning and style of the Vijayanagara era. Many of these Pushkaranis were also used as the event venue for annual boating festivals. They are beautifully designed and surrounded by pillars and arcades. During annual events, idols of Dev and Devis were taken for a coracle (a small boat) ride which connotes the holy significance of these tanks.

Palace Of Vira Harihara

• Among the most spectacular places in the Vijayanagara Empire is the Palace of Vira Harihara, once a colossal structure, which is a great attraction for visitors. However, only its foundational base now remains within the fortified area. This place testifies to the grandeur of the kings of the empire. It displays their admirable lifestyle too. The palace has suffered the ravages of time and history. The few remains have elaborate carvings that tell the tale of the gigantic and beautiful structure that once existed in its place.
• The actual boundary of the Palace can still be discerned along with the remainders of other structures entailing a lofty building with a getaway of steps, apparently wielded as a stage to mount on the royal elephants. The ruins of the royal hall also exist till date.

Hazara Rama Temple

• Built in the early 15^th century by Devaraya II. Rama Hazara temple was initially a simple structure. It comprised only a sanctum, a pillared hall and an ardha (half) Mandapa. Later it was remodelled to augment the site through an open veranda and elegant pillars.
• The Hazara Rama Temple is literally translated as a thousand Rama temple, which suggests the abundance of heirlooms portraying the dominant deity of the temple. Its walls have the Ramayana carved on stones and the outer walls have relics of Rama and Krishna. These relics portray parades of royal horses, elephants, servants, combatants and dancing women carrying the celebration of the Dasara festival. These relics are the most extensive ones to be found anywhere in India.

Achyutaraya Temple

• The Achyuta Raya temple, initially known as Tiruvengalanatha Temple was built during the reign of Achyuta Deva Raya, who was one of the monarchs of the Vijayanagara Empire. This temple is dedicated to Lord Tiruvengalanatha who is an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Later it got famous with the name of the king and came to be known as Achyutaraya temple.
• The prominent shrine of the temple is placed in the centre of a pair of rectangular concentric compartments. There are pillared porches on the inside of the two courtyard walls. Most of its parts are on the verge of collapse and decay. It is located at the end of courtesan street and can be seen from the top of Matanga Hill. At the entrance, there is a chamber that faces the verandah which leads to the main hall. There is a small shrine chamber that once glorified an image of Garuda.
• It has an accessible hall that has massively carved pillars. The sculptures are done on monolithic blocks of rocks. The idols and figures on the planks demonstrate sagas of Lord Vishnu blessing an elephant, Lord Krishna playing his flute while his calves listen, and Infant Krishna dancing while holding a snake by the tail. There is also a Mandapa that is a wedding hall of the Gods and the Goddesses for the perennial betrothal.

Tungabhadra River

• Tungabhadra river originates from the Western Ghats, and flows towards the south-east and joins the Krishna River in Andhra Pradesh. Hampi has many historical sites located on the banks of the Tungabhadra. The Virupaksha temple is closer to the temple. There are lots of events witnessed by the holy waters of the river including the coracle ride of idols of Gods and Goddesses.
• Hampi has lots of historical places that share the saga of the glorious reign of the Vijayanagara empire. Apart from its historical sites it also caters to modern tourism with places like the hippie’s island, a bear sanctuary, the Archaeological Museum, and more. Hills and mounts are perhaps the best destinations to view the city and its vast spread of grand ruins. Hampi is also just 13 km away from Hospet which is the district headquarters of Vijayanagara district.
• To conclude, though in ruins, Hampi is among the 10 most spectacular tourist destinations in southern India. Its monuments are also going to be upgraded via the 100 Adarsh Monuments of ASI scheme to make it a more remembered place that testifies to the grandeur of Indian history.